News

System Malfunctions Led to Reaper Crash

7/2/2014

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​An
MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the New York Air National
Guard's 174th Attack Wing in Syracuse crashed
into Lake Ontario in New York on Nov. 12, 2013, following a “series of
system malfunctions,” according to a July 1 release.
The Accident Investigation Board found “by clear and convincing evidence” that
the mishap aircraft’s global positioning system and inertial navigation system
failed “in conjunction with a transfer of invalid attitude data” to the mishap
aircraft’s autopilot system. “Without valid data, the [Reaper] could not
discern its attitude and became uncontrollable,” states the executive summary
of the AIB
report. A mission control element crew from Hancock Field ANGB, N.Y.,
initiated “the appropriate emergency checklist” and informed the launch
recovery element aircrew of the situation, states the July 1 release. However,
the Reaper lost its link with the crew as it was in the process of turning the
aircraft around. Consequently, the aircraft “began to fly its pre-programmed
contingency return-to-base flightpath on its own,” allowing it to safely avoid
populated areas, states the release. The MQ-9 became inverted after it attempted
an autopilot right turn, resulting in “an unrecoverable flat spin,” states the
release. The aircraft, which was valued at $10.6 million, was destroyed on
impact.